N.S.N.

MEMORIAL SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

Thirumurugan Salai, Thirumurugan Nagar, Chitlapakkam, Chennai – 600064

QUESTION BANK
LIGHT –REFLECTION & REFRACTION
CLASS X
REMEMBER/UNDERSTANDING
1. The laws of reflection hold true for
(a) plane mirrors only
(b) concave mirrors only
(c) convex mirrors only
(d) all reflecting surface

2. Where would the reflected rays meet for the image formation to take
place?
(a) Behind the mirror
(b) Between F and O
(c) Between C and F
(d) Beyond C

3. Image formed by a convex spherical mirror is:

(a) virtual
(b) real
(c) enlarged
(d) inverted

4. Which of the following can make a parallel beam of light from a point
source incident on it?
(a) Concave mirror as well as convex lens
(b) Convex mirror as well as concave lens
(c) Two plane mirrors placed at 90degree to each other
(d) Concave mirror as well as concave lens

5. Assertion: A concave mirror always forms a real and inverted image of

an object.
Reasoning: The inward curvature of a concave mirror converges light
rays to a point, resulting in a real and inverted image
6. Assertion: The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
Reasoning: According to the law of reflection, the angle of incidence
and the angle of reflection are always equal.
7. Assertion: Total internal reflection occurs when light travels from a
denser medium to a rarer medium at an angle of incidence greater
than the critical angle.
Reasoning: At the critical angle, the angle of refraction becomes 90
degrees, causing the light to be totally reflected back into the denser
medium.
8. A full length of the image of a distant tall building can definitely be
seen using:
(a) a concave mirror
(b) a convex mirror
(c) a plane mirror
(d) both concave as well as plane mirrors

9. The image of an object placed in front of a convex mirror is formed at

(a) the object itself
(b) twice the distance of the object in front of the mirror
(c) half the distance of the object in front of the mirror
(d) behind the mirror

10. Magnification produced by a rearview mirror fitted in vehicles:

(a) is less than one
(b) is more than one
(c) is equal to one
(d) can be more than or less than one, depending upon the position of
the object in front of it

11. The refractive index of a material depends upon

(a) Temperature (b) Wavelength of light
(c) Nature of the material (d) All the above
12. The refractive index of glass with respect to air is 3/2. The refractive
index of air with respect
to glass is :
(a) 3/1 (b) 3/2
(c) 2/3 (d) 1/3
13. Assertion: The dispersion of white light into its constituent colors is
due to the phenomenon of refraction.
Reasoning: Different colors of light have different wavelengths,
causing them to bend at different angles when passing through a
prism.
14. Assertion: A concave mirror can form a virtual and erect image of an
object.
Reasoning: When the object is placed between the focus and the
mirror, the reflected rays appear to diverge, forming a virtual and
erect image.
15. Assertion: The focal length of a concave mirror is always positive.
Reasoning: The focal length of a concave mirror is the distance
between the mirror and the principal focus, and it is always positive.

16. What is the magnification of the images formed by plane mirrors and
why?
17. Draw the following diagram in your answer book and show the
formation of image of the object AB with the help of suitable rays.

18. A ray of light, incident obliquely on a face of a rectangular glass slab

placed in air,emerges from the opposite face parallel to the incident
ray. State two factors on which the lateral displacement of the
emergent ray depends.

19. Why does a ray of light bend when it travels from one medium into
another?
20. Between which two points related to a concave mirror should an
object be placed to obtain on a screen an image twice the size of the
object?
21. How should a ray of light be incident on a rectangular glass slab so
that it comes out from the opposite side of the slab without being
displaced? .
22. Distinguish between a real and a virtual image of an object. What type
of image is formed (i) by a plane mirror, (ii) on a cinema screen?
23. Define ‘refractive index of a transparent medium.’ What is its unit?
Which has a higher refractive index, glass or water?
24. With the help of a ray diagram explain why a convex mirror is
preferred for rear view mirrors in motor cars.
25. Define Refractive Index.Also its types.

26. State and explain Snell’s Law.

27. What will be the refractive index of the medium in which the speed of
light is 2.5 ×10 8 m/s?
28. What are the different types of refraction?
 29. What are the laws of refraction of light?

30. Speed of light in glass is 2 X 108 m/s. Find the refractive index of
glass.
31.

APPLICATION
1. If an object is placed symmetrically between two plane mirrors,
inclined at an angle of 72 degrees, then the total no. of images
formed is:
(a) 5
(b) 4
©2
2. An object is placed at a distance of 40cm in front of a concave mirror
of a focal length of 20 cm.
The image produced is:
(a) virtual and inverted
(b) real and erect
© real, inverted and of the opposite size as that of the object
(d) real, inverted and of the same size as that of the object
3 A student conducts an experiment using a convex lens. He places the
object at a distance of 60 cm in front of the lens and observes that the
image is formed at a distance of 30 cm behind the lens. What is the
power of the lens?
(a) 0.005 dioptre
(b) 0.05 dioptre
© 5 dioptre
(d) 50 dioptre
4. An image of an object produced on a screen which is about 36 cm
using a convex lens. The image produced is about 3 times the size of
the object. What is the size of the object?
(a) 12 cm
(b) 33 cm
© 39 cm
(d) 108 cm
5. A 10 mm long awl pin is placed vertically in front pin is formed at
30cm in front of the mirror. The focal length of this mirror is:
(a) -30 cm
(b) -20 cm
© -40 cm
(d) -60 cm
6. A concave lens has focal length of 20 cm. At what distance from the
 lens a 5 cm tall object be placed so that it forms an image at 15 cm
from the lens? Also calculate the size of the image formed.
7. The refractive index of water is 1.33 and the speed of light in air is 3 x
108 ms-1. Calculate the speed of light in water.
8. State the law of refraction of light that defines the refractive index of
a medium with respect to the other. Express it mathematically. How is
refractive index of any medium ‘A’ with respect to a medium ‘B’
related to the speed of propagation of light in two media A and B?
State the name of this constant when one medium is vacuum or air.
The refractive indices of glass and water with respect to vacuum are
3/2 and 4/3 respectively. If the speed of light in glass is 2 x 108 m/s,
find the speed of light in (i) vacuum, (ii) water.
9. An object is placed at a distance of 30 cm in front of a convex mirror
of focal length 15 cm. Write four characteristics of the image formed
by the mirror
10 A 6 cm tall object is placed perpendicular to the principal axis of a
concave mirror of focal length 30 cm. The distance of the object from
the
mirror is 45 cm. Use mirror formula to determine the position, nature
and size of the image formed. Also draw labelled ray diagram to show
the image formation in this case.
11 An object of height 1.2m is placed before a concave mirror of
focal length 20cm so that a real image is formed at a distance
of 60 cm from it. Find the position of an object. What will be the
height of the image
formed?
12 A concave mirror has a focal length of 20 cm. At what distance from
the
mirror should a 4 cm tall object be placed so that it forms an image at
a
distance of 30 cm from the mirror ? Also calculate the size of the
image
formed.
13 The absolute refractive index of Ruby is 1·7. Find the speed of light in
Ruby. The speed of
light in vacuum is 3 x 108 m/s.
14 Refractive index of glass is 1.5. If the speed of light in vacuum is 3
X 108 m/s, find velocity of light in medium.
15 If active index of water is 4/3 and that of glass is 3/2. Find the
refractive index of glass w.r.t.water.
16 The refractive index of medium ‘X’ with respect to medium ‘Y’ is 2/3
and refractive index of medium ‘Y’ with respect to medium ‘Z’ is 4/3.
Find the refractive index of medium ‘Z’ with respect to medium ‘X’.
17 The absolute refractive index of glass and water are 4/3 and 3/2
respectively. If the speed of light in glass is 2 × 10 8 m/s, calculate
 the speed of light in: (i) vacuum (ii) water.
18 Refractive index of water and benzene w.r.t air are 1.33 and 1.50
respectively. Calculate refractive index of benzene w.r.t water?
19 The refractive index of glass with respect to air is 1.65 and that of
water w.r.t air is 1.33.Calculate refractive index of water w.r.t to glass.
20 An object 6 cm in size is placed at 50 cm in front of a convex lens of
focal length 30 cm. At what distance from the lens should a screen be
placed inorder to obtain a sharp image of the object ? Find the nature
and size ofthe image. Also draw labelled ray diagram to show the
image formation in this case.
21 A 10 cm tall object is placed perpendicular to the principal axis of a
convex lens of focal length 12 cm. The distance of the object from the
lensis 18 cm.Find the nature, position and size of the image formed.
22 (i) Rohit claims to have obtained an image twice the size of object
with a concave lens.
Is he correct? Give reason for your answer. (ii) Where should an object
be placed in
case of a convex lens to form an image of same size as of the object?
Show with the
help of ray diagram the position and the nature of the image formed.
(iii) With the help of ray diagram, illustrate the change in position,
nature and size of the image formed if the convex lens in case of (ii) is
replaced by concave lens of same focal length.
23 A real image 2/3rd of the size of an object is formed by a convex lens
when the object is at a distance of 12 cm from it. Find the focal length
of the lens.
24 A 10 cm tall object is placed perpendicular to the principal axis of a
convex lens of focal length 30 cm. The distance of the object from the
lens is 20 cm. Find the:
(a) Position(b) Nature
25 An object of height 2.5cm is placed at a distance of 15cm from the
optical centre; of a convex lens of focal length 10cm. Draw a ray
diagram to find the position and the size of the image
formed. Mark optical center principal focus F and height of the image
in the diagram.
26 Rishi went to a palmist to show his palm. The palmist used a special
lens for this purpose.
(i) State the nature of the lens and the reason for its use.
(ii) Where should the palmist place/hold the lens so as to have a real
and magnified image of an object?
(iii) If the focal length of this lens is 10 cm and the lens is held at a
distance of 5 cm from the palm, use the lens formula to find the
position and size of the image.
27 (i)An object is placed at a distance of 60 cm from a concave lens of
focal length 30cm. Use lens formula to find the distance of the image
 from the lens.
(ii)List characteristics of image formed.
(iii)Draw a ray diagram of image formation by concave lens in above
case.
28 A 4 cm tall object is placed perpendicular to the principal axis of a
convex lens of focal length 24cm. The distance of the object from the
lens is 16 cm. Find the position, size and nature of the
image formed, using the lens formula.
29 The image of a candle flame formed by a lens is obtained on a screen
placed on the other side of the lens. If the image is three times the
size of the flame and the distance between lens and image is 80 cm,
at what distance should the candle be placed from the lens? What is
the nature
of the image at a distance of 80 cm and the lens?
30 A 5 cm tall object is placed perpendicular to the principal axis of a
convex lens of focal-length 50 cm. The distance of the object from the
len is 40 cm. Find the: (i) position (ii)nature (iii) size of the image
formed.

ANALYSIS
1. When a plane mirror is rotated through a certain angle, the reflected
ray turns through twice as much and the size of the image:
(a) is doubled
(b) is halved
© becomes infinite
(d) remains the same

2. Which statement is true for the reflection of light?

(a) The angle of incidence and reflection are equal.
(b) The reflected light is less bright than the incident light.
© The sum of the angle of incidence and reflection is always greater
than 900.
(d) The beams of the incident light, after reflection, diverge at
unequal angles.

3. The focal length of a plane mirror is

(a) 0
(b) infinite
© 25 cm
(d) -25 cm

4. The image shows the path of incident rays to a concave mirror.

 Where would the reflected rays meet for the image formation to take
place?
(a) Behind the mirror
(b) Between F and O
© Between C and F
(d) Beyond C

5. A student studies that a convex lens always forms a virtual image

irrespective of its position. What causes the convex mirror to always
form a virtual image?
(a) Because the reflected ray never intersects
(b) Because the reflected ray converges at a single point
© Because the incident ray traces its path back along the principal
axis
(d) Because the incident ray of a convex mirror gets absorbed in the
mirror

6. Rahul conducts an experiment using an object of height of 10 cm and

a concave lens with a focal length of 20 cm. The object is placed at a
distance of 25 cm from the lens. Can the image be formed on a
screen?
(a) Yes, as the image formed will be real
(b) Yes, as the image formed will be erect
© No, as the image formed will be virtual
(d) No, as the image formed will be inverted

7. A student conducts an activity using a flask of height 15 cm and a

concave mirror. He finds that the image formed is 45 cm in height.
What is the magnification of the image?
(a) -3 times
(b) -1/ 3 times
© 1/ 3 times
(d) 3 times

8. Assertion: The image formed by a plane mirror is always virtual, erect,

and of the same size as the object.
 Reasoning: A plane mirror reflects light without any refraction,
resulting in a virtual image that is the same size and orientation as
the object.

9. Assertion: When light passes from a rarer medium to a denser

medium, it bends towards the normal.
Reasoning: The change in speed of light causes it to bend towards the
normal when it enters a denser medium
10. Assertion: The focal length of a convex lens is always positive.
Reasoning: The focal length of a convex lens is the distance between
the lens and the principal focus, and it is always positive.

11. Assertion: A concave lens always forms a virtual and erect image of
an object.
Reasoning: Concave lenses are diverging lenses that spread out the
light rays, forming virtual images.

12. Assertion: The refractive index of a medium determines the speed of

light in that medium.
Reasoning: The refractive index is a measure of how much a medium
slows down the speed of light compared to its speed in a vacuum.

13. Assertion: The speed of light is maximum in a vacuum compared to

any other medium. Reasoning: Light does not undergo any
interactions or refractions when traveling through a vacuum, allowing
it to travel at its maximum speed.

14. Assertion: A convex lens is used to correct myopia (short-

sightedness).
Reasoning: Myopia is a condition where the image is formed in front of
the retina, and a diverging lens can bring the image back onto the
retina.

15. Assertion: The focal length of a concave lens is always negative.

Reasoning: The focal length of a concave lens is the distance between
the lens and the principal focus, and it is always negative.

16. Assertion: The refractive index of a medium determines the critical

angle for total internal reflection.
Reasoning: The critical angle is the angle of incidence that produces
an angle of refraction of 90 degrees, and it depends on the refractive
indices of the two media

17. Assertion: A convex lens always forms a real and inverted image of an
object.
 Reasoning: The converging nature of a convex lens brings light rays
together to form a real and inverted image.

18. If the image formed by a spherical mirror for all positions of the object
placed in front of it is always erect and diminished , what type of
mirror is it? Draw a labelled ray diagram to support your answer
19. If a light ray IM is incident on the surface AB as shown, identify the
correct emergent ray.

20. The refractive indices of four media A, B, C and D are given in the
following table:

If light, travels from one medium to another, in which case the change
in speed will be (i) minimum, (ii) maximum?
21. Explain why a ray of light passing through the centre of curvature of a
concave mirror, gets reflected along the same path.

22. What is the nature of the image formed by a concave mirror if the
magnification produced by the mirror is +3?

23. Between which two points of a concave mirror should an object be

placed to obtain a magnification of -3?

24. “The refractive index of carbon disulphide is 1.63.” What is the

meaning of this statement in relation to speed of light?

25. The outer surface of a hollow sphere of aluminium of radius 50 cm is

to be used as a mirror. What will be the focal length of this mirror?
Which type of spherical mirror will it provide?
26. A girl was playing with a thin beam of light from her laser torch by
directing it from different directions on a convex lens held vertically.
She was surprised to see that in a particular direction the beam of
light continues to move along the same direction after passing
through the lens. State the reason for this observation.

27 A student holding a mirror in his hand, directed the reflecting surface

of the mirror
towards the Sun. He then directed the reflected light on to a sheet of
paper held close to
the mirror.
(a) What should he do to burn the paper ?
(b) Which type of mirror does he have ?
(c) Will he be able to determine the approximate value of focal length
of this mirror from
this activity ? Give reason and draw ray
diagram to justify your answer in this case.
28. (i) Which property of concave mirror is utilized for using them as
shaving mirrors? (ii)
Light passes through a rectangular glass slab and through a triangular
glass prism.
Using proper ray diagram, explain in what way does the direction of
the two emergent
beams differs with respect to the incident beam of light.
29 Analyse the following observation table showing variation of image -
distance (v) with object -distance (u) in case of a convex lens and
answer the questions that follow without doing any
calculations: (a) what is the focal length of the convex lease? Give
reason to justify your answer.
(b) Write serial number of the observation which is not correct. On
what basis have you arrived
at this conclusion?
(c) Select an appropriate scale and draw a ray diagram for the
observation at S.No. 2. Also the approximate value of magnification.

30. We can see when the pencil immersed in water it appears like bent at
the water air interface. Also, the letters appears to be raised when we
will see that letters through a glass slab placed over it. If the media
 used are different that means the bending of light is different in
different media. And hence we can say that the light does not travel
along a straight line path through different media. According to the
velocity of light in that medium the bending of light takes place. Thus,
we can say the phenomenon in which light ray bends or changes its
direction when traveling from one medium to other is called as
refraction of light. And also we can observed that if the ray of light is
traveling from rarer medium to denser medium it bends towards the
normal whereas when the ray of light travels from denser medium to
rarer medium it bends away from the normal. And the extent of
bending of light in a particular medium depends on the refractive
index of the medium mostly. More the refractive index more is the
bending or denser is the medium and less will be the velocity of light
in that medium.
If less is the refractive index then less will be the bending or medium
is rarer and velocity of light will be more in that medium. Like the
refractive index of air is found to be 1.0003 and that of water is found
to be 1.33. And hence water is more denser than air, air is rarer
medium as compared to water. Thus, velocity of light in air medium is
greater than velocity of light in water medium.

1) If the refractive indices of glass and ice are 1.52 and 1.31
respectively. Then in which medium the velocity of light is more?
What it’s value?
( Velocity of light in air= 3*108 m/s)
2) How you can define rarer and denser medium on the basis of
optical density?
3) If the Refractive index of diamond is found to be highest i.e. 2.42
then what it indicates?
4) What will happen if we took a glass filled with kerosene instead of
water? What would be the observations?

31 We have, the object distance is the distance of the object from the
pole of the mirror. And we always know that object is placed in front
of mirror that means on left side and hence object distance u is
always taken as negative. The distance of the image from the pole of
the mirror is taken as image distance. The image distance may be
positive or negative on the basis of nature of image formed. And the
distance of principal focus from the pole is called as focal length of the
mirror. Thus, the relationship between the object distance u, image
distance v and focal length f is given by mirror formula.
Thus,
Mirror formula:
1/v + 1/u = 1/f
And magnification in case of mirror gives the extent to which the
image is magnified as compared to object size. Magnification is given
by the ratio of height of image (h’) to the height of object (h).
Thus, magnification = (height of image)/(height of object)
Thus, m = h’/h
Also, in terms of object distance and image distance magnification is
given by,
Magnification m = h’/h = -v/u
1) If the focal length of the lens is measured in meter what will be the
unit of power of lens?
2) What is the sign of power of convex and concave lens?
3) If the lenses placed in contact of powers P1, P2, P3, P4 are used
then what is the net power of lens system?
4) If the magnification produced is negative and positive in case of
mirrors then what about the nature of images formed there?